Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Chapter 166 Troublesome

After finishing these tasks, Tang San rested briefly in the room before getting up and walking to Cinderella's door, where he gently knocked.

"Sis, are you awake?"

A moment later, the door was opened a crack, and Cinderella appeared behind it, wearing a nightgown and rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her long, golden hair was loosely draped over her shoulders.

"The other woman? What's wrong?" Her voice was soft and sweet, as if she had just woken up.

Tang San handed over the dark, heavy Shadowless Sword in his hand, his tone calm and even: "Here, take this for self-defense."

Cinderella paused for a moment, then took the cold metal box. Its heavy weight surprised her slightly.

She looked down at the strangely shaped hidden weapon, a hint of surprise flashing in her azure eyes: "This is a hidden weapon? You made it with the new black iron you just bought?"

"Hmm." Tang San nodded, his voice still flat.

"This is a subtle attack, but its power is considerable. The activation mechanism is here. To use it, simply aim at the target and inject a wisp of soul power. It's filled with poisoned steel needles; it's lethal upon contact with blood."

He gave a brief explanation of how to use it, emphasizing the location of the trigger mechanism and precautions.

Cinderella was clever and quickly remembered it. Holding the cold hidden weapon, she felt the dangerous power contained within it, and then looked up at the faint dark circles under Tang San's eyes. She understood that Tang San had made the hidden weapon overnight.

"Thank you, Xiao San," she said softly, a gentle smile on her face.

Tang San looked at the trusting smile on Cinderella's face, and his eyes softened for a moment.

"Keep it close to your body and don't let it out of your sight," he instructed. "There are many people in Tiandou City, and some of them may be blind to your true nature."

“I know.” Cinderella nodded obediently and carefully put the Shadowy Strike into her storage soul tool ring.

Just then, the sound of a door opening came from the direction of the main house, along with Yu Xiaogang's footsteps and cough.

Tang San's gaze instantly turned cold, as if it had been covered with a layer of ice.

He looked at Cinderella and whispered, "Sis, why don't you go back to your room and rest for a while? I'll go prepare breakfast."

Cinderella glanced in the direction of the main house, then at Tang San, keenly sensing the fleeting change in his aura. But she didn't ask anything, simply nodding and saying, "Okay."

He turned and went back to his room, gently closing the door behind him.

Tang San stood there, listening to Yu Xiaogang stretching his limbs in the courtyard with great enthusiasm, his eyes filled with a cold indifference.

Yu Xiaogang broke through level 30 and became a Soul Master.

In Tang San's view, this was not a good thing at all; on the contrary, it might make their current situation even more troublesome.

Previously, Yu Xiaogang was only level 29. Bearing the title of "Waste Master," he was always somewhat inferior and lacked confidence deep down. He was relatively restrained in his actions, at most using some theoretical knowledge and petty benefits to win them over.

Now that he has broken through the bottleneck that had plagued him for half his life, he feels triumphant and confident about the future, which inevitably leads to an inflated ego.

Moreover, he and Cinderella's father, Tang Hao, have disappeared without a trace.

A Soul Master with an inflated ego and a strong possessive desire for them will be much more difficult to deal with than the previously frustrated Great Soul Master.

If Yu Xiaogang felt the time was right and couldn't hold back any longer, wanting to forcibly establish the master-disciple relationship and thus possess them...

Tang San's right hand quietly clenched in his sleeve, and the internal energy of the Xuan Tian Gong flowed slightly through his meridians, bringing with it a chilling sensation.

He would never allow anyone to force his sister to do something she didn't want to do.

If Yu Xiaogang really dares to use his status as a Soul Master and his title as a teacher to force them to formally become his disciples...

Therefore, the moment the apprenticeship ceremony takes place will be the moment Yu Xiaogang chooses to die.

He has at least ten ways to make this newly promoted Soul Master die unexpectedly without leaving any trace.

These dark, blood-stained thoughts flashed clearly through Tang San's mind, but his face remained calm befitting his age, even carrying a hint of youthful taciturnity.

He turned and went to the kitchen to prepare a simple breakfast.

In his heart, Cinderella only needs to stay happy and innocent as she is now.

He sweeps away all filth and danger. Anyone who tries to disrupt his sister's peaceful life is his enemy.

As for enemies, the Tang Clan has only one principle.

……

Inside the study of the Crown Prince's residence.

The flickering candlelight cast long and short shadows of the figure bent over the desk as he wrote.

Qian Renxue, or rather, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, finally finished reviewing the last memorial on his desk.

She put down her pen, leaned back in the wide chair, raised her hand, and vigorously rubbed her throbbing temples.

Her face, though disguised, betrayed her exhaustion. After dealing with complicated government affairs for several hours in a row, even she felt mentally and physically drained.

In particular, a considerable portion of these administrative tasks were specifically assigned by Emperor Xueye to train and test her.

Thinking of the emperor, who was growing old and increasingly paranoid, clinging tightly to power and refusing to let go, Qian Renxue felt a strange sense of irritation.

She never imagined that Emperor Xueye, while possessing only mediocre talent in Soul Master cultivation, would be so troublesome and suffocating in his control and balance of political power.

Over the years, she has worked diligently and conscientiously to play the role of a qualified, even outstanding, crown prince, managing the Tiandou Empire in an orderly manner and winning the praise of many court officials.

But what about Emperor Xueye?

He seemed to be delegating authority, handing over more and more complicated tasks to her, keeping her extremely busy.

On the other hand, they remained tight-lipped on crucial personnel appointments and national affairs, treating her like a thief.

Various checks and balances emerged one after another, supporting this prince today and hinting at that noble tomorrow, stirring up the waters of the court and making her feel constrained every time she implemented policies.

She felt like a donkey with reins on, pulling a heavy millstone in circles, with a carrot dangling in front of her, visible but unattainable.

She has already invested far too much in this goal.

More than a decade of her youth, meticulous planning, and the pretense of walking on thin ice... all of this is like a sunk cost, making it impossible for her to give up easily.

Giving up would mean all her previous efforts were in vain, and that everything she had put in would become a joke.

If we don't give up, are we just going to continue like this, being used as a tool by Emperor Xueye and endlessly exploited until the day he dies of old age?

Who knows how much longer that old guy can live? What if he lives for another twenty or thirty years?

Thinking of this, Qian Renxue felt an indescribable sense of frustration welling up in her chest.

She stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and let the breeze caress her slightly flushed cheeks.

Chapter 167 Haotian Sect

Looking at the rising sun outside the window and the faint lights of the emperor's bedroom in the distance, which could be seen from the direction of the palace, Qian Renxue's eyes gradually turned cold, like a frozen lake.

This can't go on any longer.

She needs to speed things up.

The Snow Night Emperor's existence has become the biggest obstacle in her plans.

It seems that the tampering with his diet before was too mild.

Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes slightly, and a trace of coldness and determination, completely inconsistent with her current identity as Xue Qinghe, flashed in those eyes that were disguised as black.

It's time to increase the quantity.

……

Haotian Sect.

Almost all communication with the outside world and the transfer of external resources depended on Tang Yuehua's one-way street.

Although this secluded sect is closed off, it is not completely isolated from the world. The supplies delivered by Tang Yuehua every month through specific channels are an important source for maintaining the sect's operation and understanding the outside world.

On this day, an elder in charge of receiving and counting supplies frowned deeply as he looked at the resources delivered this month, and his white beard stood on end.

He picked up the list and checked the medicinal herbs, metals, gold soul coins, and some daily necessities neatly arranged on the ground again. His face darkened.

"This number is wrong!" He said, his voice clearly displeased, and looked up at Tang Zhong, who was standing quietly to the side.

"How come it's down by 15% compared to last month? Did something go wrong on the way here?"

Tang Zhong lowered his head, his tone calm and composed, revealing no emotion whatsoever: "Reporting to Fifth Elder, everything that was handed over and inventoried was delivered according to Miss Yuehua's arrangements, and there were no oversights."

"According to her arrangement?" Upon hearing this, the Fifth Elder snorted coldly, clenching the list in his hand so tightly it made a rustling sound.

"What kind of arrangement is this? Although the sect is currently closed off, there are still so many disciples who need to cultivate, eat, and drink. Doesn't everyone need resources? She has been running things outside for many years. Doesn't she know what's important?"

He grew angrier as he spoke, his voice rising involuntarily: "I think she is..."

"Fifth Uncle, what's wrong?" A steady voice interrupted the Fifth Elder.

Sect Leader Tang Xiao strode in. He was tall and imposing, with a face somewhat resembling Tang Hao's, but possessing more of the composure and restraint befitting a sect leader. His gaze swept over the supplies on the ground, and he already understood seven or eight parts of the situation.

When the Fifth Elder saw Tang Xiao arrive, he seemed to have found his pillar of support and immediately pointed to the pile of supplies, saying, "Sect Master, you've come at the right time! Look at what Yuehua sent this month—it's a full 15% less than usual! I asked Tang Zhong, and he only said it was Yuehua's arrangement! This... what kind of nonsense is this!"

Tang Xiao bent down, picked up a metal ingot of decent quality, weighed it in his hand, then put it down. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he looked at the Fifth Elder.

"Fifth Uncle, please calm down. It's already not easy for Yuehua to support Yuexuan alone in Tiandou City and navigate between various forces. There must be some unexpected situation in Tiandou City recently, or Yuexuan has encountered some temporary difficulties and needs funds to operate, so she had no choice but to temporarily reduce the supply here."

He paused, his tone filled with protection and trust for Tang Yuehua: "Yuehua has always acted with discretion and would never do such a thing without a reason. As her family, and with the sect as her support, we should understand her difficulties instead of criticizing her."

Another, older, Seventh Elder nodded and spoke up to ease the tension: "The Sect Master is right. That child Yuehua has been working tirelessly for the sect, and we within the sect can hardly comprehend the hardships she has endured. She must have truly encountered difficulties and is temporarily short of funds. A little bit of resources, even if it takes a month, is not a big deal."

Seeing that Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder both spoke in this way, the Fifth Elder's expression softened slightly, but he was still indignant, especially when he thought of what had happened before. He couldn't help but snort coldly and bring up the old matter again: "Difficulties? Unexpected changes? What kind of terrible changes could there be! I think she's just gotten too big for her britches and has been blinded by the outside world. She wants to use this to control us and show off her importance!"

His cloudy yet sharp eyes swept over Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder: "Have you forgotten what happened a few months ago, about that... pill?"

The Fifth Elder's tone grew increasingly dissatisfied at the mention of elixirs, clearly harboring resentment over the matter.

……

Several months ago.

News about Ge Duo and her miraculous elixir was first urgently transmitted back to the Haotian Sect through Tang Yuehua.

At that time, the effects of the elixir had not been widely verified, and the news was only secretly circulated among the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire and the top echelons of the three upper sects.

When the elders in charge of the Haotian Sect heard the news, their first thought when they gathered to discuss it was simple and direct.

"Find a time when it's dark, find out where that girl is, and plunder the pills and rare treasures she has."

Sitting to the side, the Fifth Elder, whose temper was the most volatile, made the suggestion. His tone was as calm as if he were saying to go to the back mountain to chop two bundles of firewood.